Pilgrimage & Jubilee
Welcome to the Pilgrimage & Jubilee book!
This is a work-in-progress and
I welcome publisher inquiries!
Pilgrimage & Jubilee: A Guidebook of Spiritual Practices for the Weary and Wounded Christian. Poetry infused, warmhearted, research-based, trauma-informed, and practical, this book brings hope and healing to those who have experienced life crises and religious disillusionment.
Chapters
This Is My Story
In the Valley of the Shadow
Come and Follow
Stillness
Story
Lament
Liberty
Imagination
Beauty
Nature
Prayer
Scripture
Worship
Guidance
Theology
Jubilee
It’s been a long road
And I’ve traveled the valley of the shadow.
I write as a free woman
Still with earthy bonds, yes
But able to rise above and go beyond.
We are called to the dignity
Of the Image of God.
We are called to walk the path
Of peace and glory.
We are called to hear the holy echo:
"Proclaim liberty throughout the land!"
So let us rise, strong and free.
Mine is the story of pilgrimage and jubilee.
Welcome!
Pilgrimage and Jubilee is a guidebook
for the weary and wounded Christian.
It is what I needed when my disillusioned soul
wanted to collapse along the wayside
after decades on my spiritual journey.
Despite significant crises and cynicism,
I chose to stay on the path of faith.
That is an amazing grace.
But there were also means of grace
which helped nurture and heal me.
This is what kept me going then.
This is what keeps me going still.
This is why I write this book.
A pilgrimage is a journey of faith
toward a sacred place,
often over a long distance,
often with a group of other travelers.
Pilgrimage is a metaphor
for the Christian life
being a marathon of sorts.
Jubilee is a celebration
of liberty and abundance,
a time (every 50 years in the Bible)
to reclaim what was once your birthright.
Yet jubilee it is not just a destination
at the end of the pilgrimage,
but the practice of joy and
restoration all along the way.
Starting with my own story of life pilgrimage,
I will explore reasons why
so many of us struggle with our faithwalk,
even as longtime dedicated
followers of Jesus.
Most of the chapters, though,
are about spiritual practices,
things we can do to pursue grace
rather than passively wither away.
When you see the chapter titles,
you might not think of all of them
as inherently spiritual.
Or you might not
think of them as practices.
I was about to say,
“Trust me on this.
We’re going somewhere.”
But you don’t already know me,
so you don’t have to trust what I say
until (or unless) you are ready.
Bring along the life you’ve got,
dip your toes in here,
and see for yourself.
What will you find here?
A balm for the soul,
a reason to believe,
a path forward?
I hope so.
I am many things,
but one of them is a poet,
which is evident
at the start of each chapter.
I am also a storyteller,
parent, grandparent,
crisis advocate, homemaker,
seminary student,
educator, and theologian.
These parts of me come out to play, too.
Most of all I am a child of God,
a follower of Jesus.
Still.
I am honored that you would
pick up this book and read my words.
I know there are so many
other books on spirituality,
each encouraging readers in its own way.
This one is gleaned from the lives and words
of many who have come before me,
in the hopes that it will nourish
those here now and those yet to come.
I thank you for journeying along with me
for a little piece of your path.
For pilgrimage and jubilee,
Virginia Knowles